The Bandit Delivery Girl and The Lone Dragon
by Inyunaruto365
Summary: I'm not good at summaries. I'll just say it's rated for the shoujo-ai moments between the female characters along with Mai-Hime being in this later on. This was inspired from watching Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children and watching Final Fantasy 9. Enjoy!
1. Address for The Rider

Leah was riding back to Seventh Heaven on her bike from delivering something to a customer as she parked her dark blue bike next to Cloud's motorcycle and ran in the bar.

"I'm home!" She called out taking her helmet off her head.

"Welcome back, Leah," Tifa said, "How did you delivery go in Treno?"

"Okay. Until the old man tried to attack me for some reason," Leah replied as Tifa made her a drink, "But thanks to Zidane, I was able to get away unharmed."

"That's good to know," Tifa said as Leah finished her root beer float Tifa made for her.

"I know. I was glad when Freya and him were able to calm the old man down from not sleeping for three days."

Tifa laughed as she heard Barrett yell in victory who was playing a video game downstairs with Cloud and Marlene, Barrett's adopted daughter.

"Ha! I won again! In your face, Spiky!" Barrett exclaimed happily.

"No fair. This game sucks!" Cloud said, "I demand a rematch, dammit!"

"Hey! No cussing in front of my baby girl!"

"Yeah! Every time someone swears, a cat dies," Marlene said hugging his father.

"That's not true. If that were to happen, CatSith would be dead by now," Cloud said as Leah slid down the pole with a candy bar in her mouth, "Oh, hey, Leah."

"Hey," Leah said sitting on the couch.

"Heard that things didn't go so well in Treno," Barrett said reseting the game.

"Yeah. It was bad but not as bad as I thought it would," Leah responded with a sigh behind it, "At least all my deliveries are done for the day."

"Oh, that reminded me. Someone called for another delivery," Cloud said.

"Awwwww!!"

"Sorry. But at least it's the last one for the day."

Leah whined for a few minutes before sighed again. "Alright. Where's the order?"

"Right here." Cloud gives Leah a wrapped package as she placed it in her bookbag. "And here's the address to the house."

"Thanks. I'll e back," Leah sighed walking upstairs as she walked outside, put on her helmet and rode off to the address.


	2. Meeting Ms Palmer

It's been four and a half years since Cloud and the others defeated Sepheroth again and since the Geo Stigma cleared up in the city of Midgar. Cloud and Tifa found Leah two years ago in the church where the flowers are. They saw Leah was infected with the stigma that was infecting her right eye almost blinding her until Cloud and Tifa used the spring to clear the infection up for her. Tifa saw that Leah didn't have a place to call home when she saw Leah at the church a few times when Tifa went back with Aeris. (A/N: In this fic, Aeris is alive in this fic instead of being dead) So, Tifa decided to take Leah back to the Seven Heaven Bar where Leah met Marlene.

At first, Leah was shy of the little nine-year-old girl. However, as the months went by, Leah and Marlene began to get to know each other along with Cloud and the rest of AVALANCE and Zidane and his friends. It took two hours to find where the address was in Alexandria until she finally found it.

"Finally. It took me two house," Leah said out of breath as she walked up to the medium-sized house and rand the doorbell. She waited for a few minutes before hearing someone open the door.

"Yes?" The middle-aged man asked.

"Hi, I'm here to deliver a package for Ms. Carley Palmer," Leah said.

"Oh, yeah. She's upstairs. You can take the package up to her room if you want."

"Okay. Thank you." Leah walks up the stairs of the Palmers house where she saw a Shrek poster on the door along with something that read 'Carley's Room' as Leah gently knocked on the door.

"Come in," The girl called out from inside as Leah opened the door. "Oh, uh, hi."

"Hi." It is a girl who looked like she's about Leah's age but two to three years older than her. She has short black and red hair with the same glasses and has blue eyes. "Hey, I've seen you before. You hang out with General Beatrix and Stiener."

"Uh, yeah, I've seen you a few times deliver at the Alexander castle and hang out with Baku and the Tantulus gang of thieves," The girl said.

"Yeah. They're my friends," Leah said giving the girl her package, "Here's your package."

"Thanks." The woman unwraps the box. "Alright! My Shrek books arrived! And my new symbol cane is here, too!"

"You're a Shrek fan, too?"

"Yeah. I've been one since I was thirteen."

"I've been one since I was nine. I have all the Shrek DVD's."

"Same here," The girl said as Leah heard her cell phone ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Leah. Just making sure if the person got the delivery," Tifa said.

"Yeah, she got it. I'll be home later on. I'm gonna hang out with Zidane and the Tantulus Bandits."

"Yeah. I'll let Cloud and the others know."

"Okay. Later." Leah hangs up the phone.

"Who was that?" The black haired girl asked.

"Tifa. She's my caretaker along with Cloud," Leah said, "Since I have nothing to do, you wanna hang out?"

"Uh, h-hang out? With me?"

"Yeah. I mean, you seem to be a nice person. My name's Leah Roberts by the way."

"I'm Carley Palmer," The girl named Carley said, "But why do you want to hang out with someone like me?"

"Why? Am I not suppose to hang out with you? You seem funny and nice like I said," Leah says, "So, you wanna go and hang out or what?"

Carley timidly fidgeted until she nodded her head. "Sure."

"Awesome. Come on. If we make it, Ruby should be able to give us free drinks," Leah said as her and Carley walked out of Carley's house.


	3. Sodas and Hugs

_**A/N: The following contains shoujo-ai in it along with the other chapters I will be working on. **_

_**I don't feel like saying that much right now.**_

_**Enjoy and let me sleep in peace!!**_

Back at the Seventh Heaven Bar, Cloud was sleeping in his room as Aeris walked out of the shower and walked into Tifa's room.

"Why must you always walk around like that?"

"What? It's freeing," Aeris said as her girlfriend Tifa sighed and gave her lime eyed woman a hug and a kiss on the lips.

Tifa and Aeris have been girlfriends for five years when Meteor was hitting Shinra, the Electric Factory. Aeris was relieved that Cloud and Tifa were safe after saving the world, and began to slowly fall in love with Tifa. The two of them kept the secret about their love for two years until Aeris and Tifa decided to tell Cloud and the others after Cloud defeated Kadaj and cleared the Stigma. Cloud took it well, along with the rest of his friends including Zidane and his friends when they saw Tifa and Aeris make out on night during an all night party in Treno.

"So, where's Leah? I thought she was coming back after delivering something to Alexandria," Aeris wondered.

"I called her a while ago. She said she'll be hanging out with Zidane and the rest of the Tantulus bandits for the day," Tifa said.

"Oh, okay. I guess you can tell her later about, well, you know."

"About you and I getting married?"

"No. Not yet. I meant about what the Head Mistress said about her."

"Oh, yeah. That. I don't have to worry about telling her for another month since that's when it will begin."

"I suppose. But I wonder how Leah will react? She doesn't like to talk to that many people around she doesn't know at all."

"Don't worry about it. She's tough. She'll handle being around people her own age for once," Tifa said as Aeris kissed Tifa on the cheek who saw that Aeris was in her birthday suite laying beside Tifa on her bed.

"True," Aeris replied.

"Now, will you please put some clothes on before Cloud sees you? The last time he saw you like that, he got a nosebleed," Tifa reminded her girlfriend.

"But he's asleep. He won't mind. Leah sees me walk around naked all the time."

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"Hey, guys!" Leah waved.

"Hey! It's the wolf chick!" Baku said giving Leah and hug. The reason why Baku called Leah that is because Leah is able to turn into a werewolf during the night. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Carley. Carley, this is Baku. He's a nice guy once you get to know 'em."

"N-Nice to meet you," Carley shyly said.

"Likewise," Baku said shaking Carley's hand as Leah ran behind Zidane and gave him a hug.

"It's 'bout time ya got yer sorry self here, Leah! Ya'll had me worried for a second!" Ruby said.

"Aw, come on, Ruby. What makes you think I wouldn't come back to see you guys again since I'm delivery girl now?" Leah said with her hands behind her head smiling.

"Who's yer friend over there?"

"Oh, that's Carley. I met her today when I was delivering something to her house," Leah answered sitting on the floor next to a bed.

"She seems nice."

"Yeah." Leah sighed about to take a nap when Cinna exclaimed.

"Alright, Ladies! It's time to see who has enough Gil to buy a pizza tonight!" As everyone checked to see how much Gil they really have.

"…………….' Everyone was silent when they realized they didn't have enough Gil at all.

"Judging by everyone not saying anything, I'll say you guys don't have enough Gil, do you?" Cinna assumed.

"No," Zidane said.

"I'm broke," Blank said.

"I spent my money on booze," Baku said.

"I don't get paid until the end of the week," Leah said.

"Sorry, but I don't have any money at all," Carley said.

Ruby sighed. "I guess since non of ya'll have any money, I'll pay for the pizza this time."

"Awesome!" Zidane said.

"Thanks, Ruby!" Leah said giving Ruby a hug.

"This is why I hired Ruby to Tantulus, boy! 'Cause she uses her brain unlike the rest of you maggots," Baku said.

"Whatever, Boss. We're gonna be eatin' pizza tonight!" Marcus called out in delight.

"Ya damn right, man!" Cinna said high-fiving Marcus.

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After Ruby bought the pizza, Tantulus decided to hang out around Alexandria and maybe steal a few things from people they don't like as Leah and Zidane were running from someone they stole from someone when they bumped into Vivi and Steiner.

"Oh, hey, Vivi," Leah said.

"Hi, Leah. What are you and Zidane doing here running?" Vivi wondered.

"Not running after stealing from a man if that's what you're thinking," Zidane said as Leah sighed and covered her face over her face.

"Don't you ever learn, you tirent?" Steiner said.

"What are you, my mother? I can do whatever I want, Rusty," Zidane said.

"I do not see why you hang out with this rufscalien, Miss Leah. He is a bad influence."

"He's fun to hang out with whenever I'm bored and have nothing to do," Leah said hugging Zidane, "You're just jealous you don't have any friends to hang out."

"I certainly do have friends. Beatrix is one of them!"

"No, she's not. She's my rival."

"So? At least she's speaking to me again unlike when she was tring to kill this monkey-tailed theif."

"I have a name, you know. And you were there, too when we were saving Blade's life," Zidane said.

"Whatever! At least I'm in her league of dating her."

"Not exactly. I think she's dating Freya Cresent now," Leah said as Zidane and her were standing up from falling.

"WHAT?!?!?!!?" Steiner yelled in disbelief.

"Yeah, didn't you know?" Carley said with Baku and the others following behind her, "It was all over the news when a few of the Knights of Pluto saw Freya and Beatrix holding hands when they were walking out of the Armor Store."

"B-But how was I not informed of this?" Steiner angrily whined.

"I thought you already knew about it," Blank said.

"Yeah. News travels fast 'round this place," Ruby said who was on Blank's back.

"This is certainly true, but that does not absent the thought about I being the only one left unbeknownst to that rat dating the beloved General Beatrix," Steiner said.

"Freya and Beatrix have been good friends for years. Since Childhood, in face and they have never left each others side," Carley said.

"How do you know about them being friends for that long?" Vivi wondered.

"I hang out with Beatrix and talk to her when I come home from College and whenever she's feeling upset or just feels like talking to someone."

"Oh."

"Back to the task at hand, what does that Burmecian rat Freya have in which I do not."

"A silent disputation when it is needed," Leah said.

"Solving her problems without yelling at someone," Carley said.

"Being a half-breed. Chicks love the half-breeds," Leah said.

"Yeah, and-"

"With graceful elegant speed," Cinna said interrupting Blank.

"A mature ego when it's necessary in front of a audience," Baku said joining in the list.

"She's not afraid to admit if she's wront about somethin'," Ruby said.

"She's able to keep herself came in stressful situations," Cinna said.

"The children of Burmecia adore and look up to Freya because of her bravery," Vivi said.

"And-"

"Okay, Okay, I see why Beatrix loves Freya so," Stiener said sadly.

"Yeah. Sorry 'bout your loss of love, man. Maybe you can try and find another person to love," Zidane said patting the knights back.

"Easy for you to reply. You and the princess are still together."

"True. But at least Beatrix is still your rival," Leah replied with her hands in her pockets looking at the sun slowly set, "Since it's getting late, does anyone know what else to do?"

Baku and the rest of the gang couldn't think of any ideas until Cinna suggested, "How about going to Garnet's place and watching the sun set on her rooftop while drinking soda.

Everyone was talking amongst themselves about random things that happened to them when Leah left. Carley also joined in the conversation when she felt comfortable talking to Baku and the others. They all continued to talk until the sun completely set as Baku and the gang gave Leah a hug before Carley and Leah walked Carley to her house.

"Thanks of hanging out with me. I had a lot of fun," Carley said.

"Don't mention it. I'll see you later then," Leah said as she gave Carley a hug which surprised the young woman. Carley didn't know what to say or how to react to what Leah did who watched her put on her helmet on, jumped on her bike and rode down the street of Alexandria

_**A/N: I'm sorry I haven't updated anything but I've been really busy with finals, papers, exams, and essays coming up next week. I'm really tired and don't feel like saying that much right now so I'll just say later.**_

_**More shoujo-ai coming up in later on chapters. If you don't like that kind of stuff, then piss off and read something else!!!**_

_**I think it's sweet. I've been a fan of it since I was 14. Don't ask. I stumbled across it while looking at something online on night at my dad's house.**_


	4. The Talk No! Not that kind of talk!

_**A/N: Here's the other part of this story. **_

_**I'm sorry. I'm just really tired. So if you see a few errors on here, blame the system for making me do so much work on my assignments not me.**_

_**This stuff better pay off when I get older, dammit!!!!**_

_**Anyway, enjoy!!**_

Leah came back to Midgar after riding for two hours of riding from Alexandria. She put her bike beside Cloud's motorcycle and went to open the front door when she realized the door was locked. Leah sighed and walked where her window is . Luckily, it was unlocked for Leah to slide it open and climb in it as she landed on her bed where her katana sword laid and slid the window close again.

Leah always hated when Tifa locked the door like that. But Leah didn't feel like arguing about hat to Tifa tonight as she feel asleep on her bed without changing her clothes or taking off her shoes.

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The next morning, Leah woke up from the sound of her cell phone ringing and tried to fall asleep, while unfortunatly didn't last long.

Leah angrily sighed and answered the phone.

".......Hello?"

"'bout time you woke up, fool!"

"........Mr. T?"

"No, you idiot! It's me, Barrett!"

"Oh.....Why are you calling me on my call phone?"

"To tell you to get your lazy ass up for breakfast!"

"Alright, alright. I'm getting up," Leah sighed yawning before hanging up the phone and getting up.

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After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Leah walked down the steps and into the kitchen. She wore a pair of black pants with a blue tye-dye shirt, a skii hat with a pair of cleart goggles over them.

"Mmm, something smells good," Leah said stretching as Tifa placed a pread of breakfast food all over the table.

Three stacks of pancakes, four plates of bacon, two liters of orange and apples juice, two cans of whipped cream, two plates of hash browns, three bottles of syrup, and two bowls apple sauce.

"Honestly, Leah, don't you ever wear something normal?" Tifa sighed.

"Hey, being different is a good thing for me. It helps me find my things quicker if I lose my things," Leah said sitting next to Marlene and Cloud as everyone began eating the breakfast Tifa made.

Afterwards, Leah ran and made a few deliveries to a couple of people. Later that same day, Leah rode back home completley covered in bitemarks.

"What happened to you?" Yuffi asked.

"I was almost eaten by those Fangs who hang around in the alley near the tuins of Shinra," Leah explained.

"Sorry ot hear that. Did you get the stuff?"

" Yeah," Leah sighed as she pulled out the ninja gear from Yuffie's hometown, "You're lucky I wasn't killed."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Yuffie sais as Leah flopped herself on the couch and wathed T.V.

"I swear, these deliveries are geting longer everday to deliver just one thing to someone."

"Eh, that's life as my sensei said. The older you become, the more you experience life ot what it really is."

"True," Leah repleid scratching the back of her head, "I wonder what's for dinner."

"Dunno. Tifa, and Cloud left a while ago to get something. Hope they bring back Chinese Food," Yuffie said polishing her shurriken stars.

"Yyeah, something. Or something with a salty tangy flavor to it."

"That would taste even better!"

Then, Leah and Yuffu heard the door open and saw Cloud and Tifa were back home.

"We're home!" Tifa called out as Leah was the first person to run up and tackle the chestnut-eyed woman to the ground, "Nice to see you back from Yuffie's hometown."

"I was almost killed from the Fangs from a shortcut I found, but yeah, I'm back," Leah said as Tifa saw scrapes and cuts cover Leah's body.

"I can see that by the cuts you recieved from the Fiends you faced."

Leah nodded with a smile on her face as Cloud said, "Well, since we brought Chinese food, it's time for dinner."

"Alright!" Leah and Yuffi cheered as Tifa called Aeris, RedXIII, Barrett, and his daughter Marlene for dinner.

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At the dinner table, Tifa was whispering something to Aeris about something making sure Leah didn't hear what they were saying as Tifa and Aeris saw Leah talking to Barrett and Cloud about which gunsword is better to use in battle.

As Leah and Barrett continued to argue about the gunsword, Leah heard Aeris call her name who turned her head from Barret and Tifa with serious look on her face.

"Tifa, is something wrong?" Leah wondered.

"Yeah, everything's fine, Leah. It's just your nineteen years old now and Cloud, and I, along with Barrett and Aeris have been homeschooling you for years because of the money and because of you learn......differently than other people your age," Tifa said.

"Yeah." Leah nodded convincing Tifa to continue.

"And you know I love you since the day I met you, right?"

"......Yeees. Where is this going?"

"Well-"

"Wait. You're not kicking me out, are you?" Leah said half-afraid.

"No, no it's not that."

"Then what are you talking about?"

"Uhhh-"

"I think what Tifa's trying to say is tht it's time for you to go to college," Aeris said getting to the point.

"........Okay. So?"

"We mean real college. Like a community college."

"Wait. What?!" Leah exclaimed along choking on her food.

"You're not mad at me, are you?" Tifa said.

"I'm not mad at you. But why do I have to go to a community college?" Leah wondered.

"Because people are starting to spread rumors about us abusing you and while you come back from a delivery," Barrett said.

"So?"

"One mother asked if I was abusing you and I had to explain why you were always ready back with cute and bruises on your body," Tifa explained.

".....Oh. Did she beleive you?" Leah wondered.

"No. When I saw her the follwoing day, she was talking about how I was covering up what was really happening to you, Leah."

"Oh......"

"Anyway, Leah, you have to go to college to get a college degress," Cloud told Leah.

"But what is I don't get accepted to a college?"

"We already signed you up a few colleges and only one accepted you because of your amazing combact skills," Tifa said.

And what's the name of the college?"

"I think it's called Fuka Academy College," Aeris replied as Leah groaned in frustration, "Come on, Leah. Think about it. This college allows you to fight while you do your studies."

"It does?"

"Yeah. Cloud and I checked te college website to make sure it has everything your might need," Tifa said.

"Really?"

"Yep."

Leah didn't say anthing for a while before saying, "I guess I'll go and try it out."

Tifa smiled, along with Aeris, Cloud and the others as Tifa stood up and gave Leah a kiss on the top of her head, "Thank you."

"I'm only going because of the fighting and training."

Tifa laughed. "I know. And I know you'll laove it once you get there."


	5. Goodbye and Good Luck

Leah left to the Fuka Academy College on Monday. Tifa and Cloud helped her pack and put her things in her new dorm at the college before Cloud and Tifa hugged Leah goodbye and left the girl alone in the empty room.

"Well, this should be interesting.....I guess," Leah muttered as someone knocked on the door after she was done putting her things where she wanted, "Uh, come in."

Leah saw someone open the door who was a girl about her age with bright orange hair and light purple eyes. She was with another girl who was two to three years younger than the other girl. She has spiky hair with two braided running down the sides of her head. They were both wearing casual clothes.

"Hello, I'm Mai Tokiha and this is my roommate Mikoto Minagi," The red-head named Mai said shaking Leah's hand.

"Uh, hi. I'm Leah Roberts. I just moved here," Leah said.

"Yeah. Some of the people say you get settled in here."

"Welcome to the Academy!" Mikoto cheered giving Leah a hug which surprised the girl with dark brown eyes.

"Th-Thanks for the welcome.....I think," Leah muttered shyly.

"Since you're new here, we can give you the tour around the academy," Mai said.

"I don't want to impose on you guys."

"Oh, come on."

"It'll be fun!" Mikoto and Mai both pull on Leah's arms until she was out of her dorm room.

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Outside of the academy, Mai and Mikoto showed Leah around along with where everything is. During that time, Mai saw her friends Natsuki, Chie, and Aoi.

"Hey! Natsuki! Over here!" Mikoto yelled as Natsuki, Chie and Aoi walked over to where the three were.

"Hey, Mikoto. Hey, Mai," Natsuki said.

"Who's the new girl?" Chie asked.

"This is Leah. The new girl here," Mai introduced.

"Hey," Leah shyly said.

"'Sup. I'm Natsuki Kuga," Natsuki introduced.

"I'm Aoi Senou. Nice to meet you."

"And I'm Chie Harada. I'm known to everyone as the Dictionary of School Gossip to the entire college. Along with being known as a reliable source of information about everyone in this campus," Chie said pulling out her cell phone and taking a picture of Leah.

"Don't worry about that. Chie's always taking pictures of new students here," Aoi reassured the wolf girl as they all walked to lunch to get something to eat.

"Who knew the food here was so expensive," Leah said eating her food.

"Welcome to my world," Mai said.

"But despite the food being so expensive, it's a pretty cool campus," Natsuki said, "What dorm room do you have?"

"Number 274. Why?" Leah asked.

"That's the room Nao's being assigned to."

"Nao?"

"She's my cousin three times removed. But you don't have to worry about meeting her though. She's at the hospital."

"Why is she there?"

"She got attacked in a gang fight last month and won't be back in about another month."

"Will she be okay?" Leah asked in concern.

"Yeah, she's tough. Nao gets beaten up all the time, so this'll be nothing to someone like Nao Yuuki," Natsuki replied with her hands behind her head, "Nao was kinda in a street gang, but decided to quit."

"But they didn't take 'no' for an answer, huh?" Leah finished as Mai nodded her head, "Yeah. That'll happen in gangs. Luckily, my gang isn't like that."

"Wait. You're in a gang?"

"Uh-huh."

"You don't look like the kind of person who'd be a part of one," Natsuki said.

"Yeah," Chie added.

"I have to agree with Chie and Natsuki on this one," Aoi said.

"Oh, no?" Well, check this out!" Leah lifts the back of her shirt up revealing to the girls what looks like someone was able to carve the words 'Tantalus in the middle of a heart with a dagger pointing downwards with two angel wings pointing different ways on her back.

"Whoa!" Mikoto gasped at the writing.

"I know that name," Chie said taking a picture of the name with her phone.

"You do?" Mai said in surprise.

"Yeah. Tantalus is a group of bandits in Lindblum who go around and steal things from different parts around the world. They have a very well known reputation," Chie said, "Is that correct, Leah?"

"Yeah. I joined them when I was thirteen before getting this on my back," Leah implied putting her shirt back down.

"Really?" Mikoto gasped with eyes shimmering in amazement.

"Yep. You guys want me to tell you more?" But then the bell rang.

"Aww!!"

"I guess I'll tell you guys when class is over." Mai and the others walked inside the Fuka College.


	6. Meeting The Executive Commity

Inside, Mai told Leah that she has to introduce herself to the Student Council.

"Student Council? Who are they?" Leah wondered.

"They're the people who run the school and keep everyone in order," Mai said.

"They can be nice and bossy at the same time," Aoi said.

"Depending on who the person is, though," Natsuki muffled while eating at candy bar, "I've went there a lot for ditching school and they yell at me every single time about how I shouldn't ditch and how this'll affect my permanent record."

"That's because you didn't listen to anyone," Mai told her.

"Shut-up."

"I can slightly understand that, but why are you guys walking me there?" Leah asked.

"'Cause you don't know your way 'round here and we're helping you out," Natsuki solemnly said.

"Oh. Thanks."

"Here's the room," Aoi said pointing at the door that read 'Student Council Room'.

"I guess I'll see you guys later," Leah said.

"Yep!" Mai said.

"You bet!" Aoi said.

"I guess," Natsuki said.

"Yeah, yeah! And you can tell us more about your gang of bandit thieves!" Mikoto said as they all left to their classes. Leaving Leah alone in the front of the door.

"Well, here goes......whatever," The girl muttered to herself before knocking on the door and hearing someone say....

"Come in!" As she opened the door and saw four people in the room.

Three of them are girls while one of them is a boy. They all looked like they're two to three years older than Leah. The girl shyly closed the door and looked at the floor.

"Uh, h-hi," She timidly responded.

"Ah, so you're the new student. Nice to meet you," The man with black hair and yellow eyes said, "I'm Reito Kanzaki. And these are the rest of the Student Council: Executive Commity Leader, Haruka Suzushiro. Her helper Yukino Kikukawa. And The College President Shizuru Fujino."

"Nice to meet you all. I'm Leah Roberts," Leah introduced herself before sitting down in one of the empty desks.

Everything went silent as the blonde girl with purple eyes looked through Leah's paperwork that Tifa brought to college. She had a serious look on her face when she was looking at the paper and then at Leah making the teen gulp in nervousness from Haruka's stare.

But Leah was able to think of other anime shows she watched on TV in her head to fill the emptiness in her mind as she heard Haruka say, "So, Miss Leah Roberts." Making the teen lightly jump in surprise. "I read the documents Ms. Lockheart sent to the college about your intellectual disability, being home-schooled for four to five years, and how you're adopted by Tifa and Aeris at the age of fourteen."

"...Ye-Yes," Leah said scratching the back of her head as Haruka continued to look through Leah's paperwork.

"And it says here that you are in a part of a group called Tantalus, is that correct?"

"Yes. That's true, too, Ma'am."

Haruka let out a sigh before she finished looking over Leah's documents one more time before slamming it down and stared at the girl with dark brown hair who stared back.

"Haruka-chan, please, be nice," The girl with glasses named Yukino told her as the other teen with honey-blonde hear with red eyes drinking tea lightly chuckled at her friend's behavior.

"Ara, ara, Haruka. I think you made your point," Shizuru said as Haruka stopped staring at Leah.

"Eh, whatever. I got what I needed, anyway," Haruka huffed.

"Like what?" Leah wondered.

"I'm not telling you, punt."

"It's runt, Haruka-chan," Yukino corrected Haruka.

"Whatever! Bubuzuke, go and take this bandit to her classes," Haruka said as Shizuru guided Leah down the hall.

"Some welcome from that girl," Leah muttered looking at the ground as they walked.

"Don't worry about Haruka. She's like that to all the new students when they come here all the time," Shizuru said.

"I guess, but she didn't have to call me a bandit like she hates me."

"I guess she sees something different about you like Mai and her friends. And myself."

'Mai and her friends? What does she mean by that?' Leah thought who was interrupted by hearing Shizuru.

"Here's your class and your class schedule," She said giving Leah her schedule for the year.

"Thank you," Leah shyly said.

"And don't worry about the people here. They're nice once you get to know them. But if not, ignore them."

"Okay." Leah opens the door and walks into her classroom.

* * *

"Hi. My name is Leah Roberts. Nice to meet you," Leah said seeing Mai and Natsuki sitting in the back of the classroom.

"Now, be nice to her, you guys. She came all the way from Mide Gare to study under this campus," The teacher Midori said.

"It's Midgar, Ma'am."

"Oh. My bad. Now, let's see. You can sit behind Mai."

"Okay," Leah sits down behind Mai as Midori began class again.

* * *

After class was over most of the people began asking Leah questions about Midgar and about how she knew fluent Japanese.

"Yeah. Midgar is a tough place, but crime has gotten better since I grew up there," Leah said.

"Wow!"

"You must be tough to live in that area half of your life!"

"I guess. Cloud and his friends Barrett and Tifa train me everyday in hand to hand combat, how to hold a weapon, and martial arts," Leah replied.

"Amazing!"

"You're so lucky!"

"And where did you learn how to understand Japanese?"

"Tifa, Aeris, and Yuffie tutored me on how to speak and listen to Japanese," Leah said.

"Can you write it?" Mai asked.

"Unfortunately, no. I can only listen to something with subtitles underneath what they're saying."

"Cool!"

"Not bad for a home-schooled girl at her age, huh, Natsuki?" Mai said nudging Natsuki's shoulder.

"Yeah, whatever." Natsuki said trying to act cool.

Mai rolled her eyes at that. "Don't worry about Natsuki. She tries to act cool in front of new people she meets."

"Shut-up, Mai," Natsuki muttered angrily looking the other way.

Then the bell rang as everyone left to the dorms.


	7. The Eye Wound

After a full period of math class and fighting practice, Leah went to her dorm room to go and take and nap since all of her classes were done for the evening. She had a katana sword swung over her right shoulder while holding a few tissues over her left eye.

'Maybe I should go to the Nurses office,' Leah thought yawning loudly, "But right now, I just want to go to my dorm and sleep. It's too much of a pain to find the nurses office in this school."

"Why are you saying it like that?" A voice asked from behind making Leah turn around and see Mai, Chie, and Aoi.

"Oh. Hey, guys. What are you doing here?" Leah asked them.

"We were walking back to our dorms and-"

"Whoa! What happened to your eye?" Aoi said interrupting what Mai was saying.

"Oh, this? It's nothing. It's just a scratch, that's all," Leah said as Mai was able to pull the tissues away from the girl's left eye. Revealing a severe looking scar that ran down the dark haired girls eye that made it close from the wound as blood was running down the right tissue of the eye socket of it along with the gash that was open.

"You call something like that a scratch?"

"It's like a battle wound or something like that," Chie said taking a picture of it on he cell phone, "You've been in college for four weeks now, and you're already getting into fights."

"Hey. This wasn't from a fight. Well, not on per-say. To me, it's not though," Leah said feeling Mai and Aoi pulling on her arms, 'Not again.' "Hey. Wait a second."

"We're taking you to the nurses office," Mai said.

"Hey. Don't I get a say in this?" Leah objected.

"Nope. Now, come with us," Aoi said pulling on Leah's right arm towards the nurses office.

'Why me?'

* * *

At the nurses office, Youko was examining Leah's eye wound before cleaning it.

"Well, it looks like your eye's gonna be fine in a couple of weeks or so. The sword didn't hit your eye directly, but it's gonna cause you to not see very well through that eye for a while," Youko told Leah finishing up the remaining blood that was left on her wounded eye.

"Thanks, Nurse Youko. But I could've done it myself if Mai, Aoi, and Chie haven't brought me here," Leah said who stood still from Youko cleaning her wound.

"Honestly. You're like Natsuki. Trying to be the lone wolf when you need help on something," Mai said.

"Come to think of it, she kinda does behave like Natsuki does sometimes," Chie said with a hand on her chin after taking a few pictures on her phone.

"Yeah, Chie's right," Aoi said.

"Sh-Shut-up. I can take care of myself," Leah muttered.

"Whatever," Leah tiredly huffed as Youko put tape over the cotton that was over her left eye.

'There. Now, it may be a bit swollen from the cut, but you put ice on it, the swelling should go down," The purple-haired nurse told Leah.

"Okay. Thank you." Leah, Mai, Chie, and Aoi left the office and to the dorms.

* * *

"Geez. How are you gonna explain this to everyone tomorrow?" Mai wondered.

Leah shrugged. "I dunno. It's just a stupid wound. It'll go away in a few weeks."

"That's not what they'll think," Chie told Leah.

"Whatever. I just want to go to my dorm and take a nap before something else happens," Leah replied loudly yawning after speaking lightly poking at her left-covered eye, "But it's gonna be pretty weird seeing through only my right eye, though."

* * *

At the dorm, Leah was sleeping soundly while listening to Owl City 'Fireflies' and holding her pillow in her sleep as she was suddenly heard someone open the door of the dorm. Making the girl open her eye and seeing a girl who was about a year older than her with dark red hair, and dark green eyes. She wore a skimpy mini skirt with a tang top and clear high-heeled shoes.

To Leah, the red-head looked like a wondering prostitute. However, when her vision cleared up a bit, Leah could see that the red-haired girl was quite pretty in what she wore.

And hot.

Then, she saw the dark eyed girl smile while looking at Leah still holding her pillow like a little child.

"Like what you see?"

"E-Eh?"

"I see you oggling at me." The girl smirked while watching Leah sit up from her bed with drool running down her mouth. Seeing the red-head girl walk up to her and wipe the drool from the right side of the light dark brown skinned girl's mouth with a tissue she had in her purse. "Nice trademark."

"H-Huh?" Leah dully blinked.

"Your eye."

"Oh. Yeah. I kinda got into a fight."

"Hm. I see. And judging how I've never seen you before you must be new to this college."

"Hai. I'm new."

"Then, I'm Nao. Nao Yuuki," The dark red-head named Nao introduced herself.

"I'm Leah. Leah Roberts," Leah told Nao yawning behind it, making Nao lightly laugh at that, "N-Nani? (What?)"

"It's nothing. You remind me of Kuga whenever she's tired like that," Nao giggled who ruffled Leah's dark brown hair.

"Oh, yeah. You're Natsuki's cousin. Four times removed, right?"

"No. Three times removed actually. But good guess, though, Kid."

'Kid?' Leah inwardly repeated, "Anyway, why are you back from the hospital so early? I thought you wouldn't be back here for another month."

"Heh. I'm a fast healer when it comes to gang fights," Nao chuckled who stood up from Leah's bed, "You can explain to me on the details on that eye."

"Uh, yeah. I guess," Leah muttered as Nao began to take off her clothes, "Do the doctors know you're here?"

"Nah. Can't stand to be in the hospital for very long. Too many bad memories," Nao replied as Leah saw a row of stitches going down the red's back and stomach.

"Are those still fresh?"

"What? You mean these?" Nao points at her stitches who was in her bra and underwear. "Yep. About a week old, in fact from an operation I had on my back and stomach."

"An operation? What kind of operation?" Leah wondered as she heard a cell phone go off. Seeing Nao pick up her cell phone and answered it.

"Hello? Yeah. Yeah. I got it. I'll get there when that's my response to him! Whatever." Then Nao paused for a moment before yelling, "Because he left us!" Angrily hanging up her cell. "Damn. Sorry about that, kid. Just some shit I'm trying to work out."

"Oh." Leah nodded in understanding as Nao continued to change into some comforting clothes.

"So, why are you in the place?" Nao asked while looking through her clothes in closet.

"Cloud, Tifa, and Aeris signed me up to this college since I was home-schooled most of my life," Leah explained, "They said that it'll help me talk to other people better and make new friends. And I've met Mai, Natsuki, Mikoto, Chie, Aoi, and the Student Council people a few times."

"Oh, you mean Fujino and them?"

"Yeah. The only thing I don't get is why Mai being so concerned about me when I'm injured, Chie and the cellphone, and Haruka calling Shizuru Bubuzuke?"

"Eh, Mai's always caring about her friend's health just like a mother. I never really understood it that much. As for Chie and her phone, I think you'll find out tomorrow. And for Haruka and Shizuru, I guess Haruka calls Shizuru Bubuzuke is out of jealousy. She thinks Fujino's her rival or something."

"Wow. A lot of things in such a campus," Leah said in amazement seeing Nao walk out the door, "Wait. Where are you going?"

"Into town. Why? You wanna come with, Kid?" Nao smiled as Leah thought about it before Nao saw the other teen girl nod her head. Seeing the girl jump out of bed, Nao waited for Leah to get ready to go out who saw her wearing a light blue hoody with black pants, black shoes, and her katana sword strapped to her back. She also wore a skii hat and goggles over it.

"Okay. I'm ready," Leah said a her and Nao left the Fuka dorms and walked into town.


	8. Dammit, people!

"I don't get why we're gonna go and see Leah," Natsuki wondered in an annoying tone.

"Because we're her friends, Natsuki. And since we're her friends, maybe she'd like to hang out with us," Mai said.

"Yeah, yeah. Mai's right! We're friends, after all," Mikoto agreed as Mai knocked on the door of Leah's dorm room who wasn't answering, "Hey, Leah! You wanna hang out with us?"

Still no answer.

"I guess she left," Natsuki said.

"I wonder where she went?" Mai wondered as the three of them left Leah's dorm door.

"Who knows? The girl wonders from one place to another. She'll be fine," Natsuki nonchalantly said with her hands in her pockets.

* * *

In town, Leah was following Nao to wherever she was going where looking in different stores with the dark red-head. Some of the stores in Fuka had food, manga books that Leah read a few times, drinking places, clothes, food, and so on. To Leah, it was amazing at the amount of people hustling around, along with how many shops there were in such a town.

While Leah was getting something to eat, hearing Nao tell her that she would buy whatever Leah wanted, Nao sat next to Leah who was eating to pieces of chocolate with ice cream.

"Hey, kid," Nao said.

"Yeah?" Leah asked finishing her chocolate ice cream and cake.

"What made you come out here? You don't even know me at all," Nao asked, "So why did you come out with me? Not that many people hang out with me."

Leah shrugged. "I dunno. I came because you might need protection after coming out of the hospital."

"Me? Protection? Heh. Yeah, I bet. Since when are you my protector?" Nao dryly chuckled.

"You asked me to come with you and I did. You seem like a nice person."

Nao lightly smiled at what Leah said as the girl continued to eat her remaining cake. 'I guess this kids telling the truth. I can see it in her eyes. She also reminds me of that girl Mikoto.' She thought who was looking at her cell phone for a minute before saying, "So, I guess you want to know about why I was sent to the hospital, huh?"

"Natsuki told me that you were trying to quit the gang you were in and that's all I remember," Leah told Nao, "But you cant tell me more about it, though."

"Okay, but I'll tell you when we go back to the dorms."

"Okay. I wanna go to the game store."

"Alright, alright. Let's go, kid."

"Hey, I'm not a kid. I'm a teenager."

"Whatever you say, kid."

Leah lightly grumbled as Nao lightly giggled at the new girl's behavior.

However, while the two were walking, two shadow figures were following them.

"So, that's where Leah was," Aoi said.

"Yeah. Shall we go snooping?" Chie said pulling out her phone with a sneaky smile one her face.

"Yes, we shall."

"This'll be great for the college newspaper. New girl hangs out with the troublemaking shank Nao Yuuki."

"I never thought I'd see the day."

"Me either."

* * *

"And that's why I'm doing all this stuff. I need to get enough money for my mama's operation. I mean, it's not like I'm happy doing this kind of stuff. Using my body to lure men and take whatever money they have on them," Nao finished explaining her situation as her and Leah walked out of the techno store, "But it's the only way I can find money without getting a job. Besides, the ones I signed up don't suit me at all. I need one that doesn't have any angry yelling boss, you know."

Leah nodded her head while drinking her soda. "True. I mean, I'm lucky to heave a job where I don't have to worry about getting fired or anything. Maybe I can help you get out with your mom's operation."

"Heh, right. Do you even know how much money I need for what those mean did to Mama?"

Leah stopped walking for a minuted thinking of how much the operation Nao was talking about was. ".....About tow hundred or so?"

"Not even close. This operation is around seven hundred thousand dollars. And I don't even have half of that money."

"Oh...." Leah replied as her and Nao continued to walk, "Sorry."

Nao sighed who sat on a nearby bench. "It's not your fault, Kid," She said putting a hand on Leah's head, 'I'm actually surprised that you'd offer to help.' "I know you mean well, but I need to fix this problem myself." Nao saw that Leah had a sad look on her face.

"I know it's none of my concern or anything, but I really want to help," Leah said feeling Nao ruffle her hair.

"Don't worry about it. My mama's still on life support, so she'll be fine. The doctor's are allwoing her to stay at the hospital without pulling the plug on her," Nao reassured the girl, 'It's not like you can do anything about it, anyway. You may be a bandit from Tantalus, but you can't raise enough money to help me and Mama. Besides, how can you even find that kind of money?' "Come on. Let's go to another store. It's getting kinda late to just sit here like this."

"Okay, Nao-kun," Leah replied as Nao stood up and walked to a shop that had different types of ramen shown on the front, "I really want to go to this one."

"Well, okay. I have some money left from mugging a rich brat for about 4,000 yen (Japanese dollars) today."

"Suge! (Awesome) Let's go!" Leah pulls on Nao's arm to the ramen shop.

* * *

"Are you getting all this, Chie?"

"You bet I am," Chie told Aoi taking pictures of Leah and Nao when they were waling all over town.

"I can't believe Nao's being so nice to the new girl. Well, besides her cousin Natsuki, she's never been nice to anyone since attending Fuuka College."

"Yeah. I wonder why, though?" Chie wondered seeing that her call phone was full from taking pictures all evening in town, "I think we should be heading back. I have the pictures I need for next week's issue."

"Good idea. Everyone's gonna be surprised to read it......But do you think it's a bit mean to do something like this?"

Both Chie and Aoi looked at each other as Chie said, "Naah! Besides, I'm Chie Harada. I'm suppose to let the students know about what's going on around them."

"Yeah, I guess." Aoi agreed as Chie and her walked back to the female dorms. "But you know, Chie, when you post this stuff, Nao will try and kill you."

"True. But I'll be willing to take the risk as the College Gossiper," Chie told her friend as the teen with brown hair sighed with a hand over her face.

"I swear. You've never changed since we were kids."

* * *

The next day, Leah heard somone banging on the door that made the girl slowly wake up from her sleep.

"Oi! Leah! Open the door!"

It was Natsuki as Leah sat on the bed for a few minutes before realizing who was banging on the door.

"For God's sake. What doe that mutt want at.....7:30 in the freaking morning?" Nao grumbled looking at her clock who got up from her bed and walked to the door.

"Huh?" Leah tiredly said in confusion.

"Don't worry about it, Kid. I'll take care of this dumb dog," Nao said getting up from her bed who was only wearing her bra and panties and walked to the door. Opening the door to an always pissed-off Natsuki Kuga, "What the hell do you want, Runt?"

"Nao? What are you doing out of the hospital so soon?" Natsuki wondered knowing her red-head cousins answer while seeing the stitches running down her stomach and right thigh leg.

"Natsuki, you should know me well enough to know that I hate hospital, along with being a fast healer when it comes to this sort of stuff."

"Of course." Natsuki sighed at her cousin's reckless behavior. "Anyway, where's your room mate?"

"I told her to go back to sleep. Why? What do you want with her?" Nao wondered scratching her messy red hair.

"The stupid Student Council people want to talk to her."

"On a Saturday?"

"Yeah. I don't know why. They told me to tell Leah that."

"Alright. I'll let the kid know when she wakes up."

"You might want to wake Leah up now because of Haruka's impatient temper," Natsuki reminded Nao.

"Oh, yeah. Well, alright. I'll let her know. Tell those slave drivers that Leah will be there in a few minutes."

"Fine," Natsuki sighed walking off but said, "I'm glad you're okay, Nao."

Nao lightly chuckled. "Yeah. Thanks. Me, too." As she closed the door and gently shook Leah awake on her bed who only groaned in response. "Hey, Kid. Get up. Those Nazi controlling Student Councilors want to talk to you."

"Mehh!" Leah tiredly groaned before she finally got up again seeing Nao's dark lime eyes meet her dark brown ones, "Nao, why did you wake me up?"

"Natsuki told me to tell you that the Student Council people want to talk to you," Nao told Leah.

"Talk to me? About what?" Leah wondered rubbing her right eye since the other one is still in bandaged up.

"I dunno. It sounded important or something."

Leah was not fully awake as she got a dark brown short sleeved shirt with black pants and shoes. Wearing those, along with a beenie hat that read 'Guinness' on the side with a toucan holding two glasses on its beak as the girl pulled out her mp3 player and put the earbuds in her ears.

"I'll be back," Leah told her room mate.

"I'll be waiting since I don't have anything to do today," Nao called out before Leah left and closed the door behind her.


	9. The Truth Shall Set you FreeI guess

Leah yawned loudly as she was walking to the Student Council room. Hearing her cell phone ring, the young teen stopped and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Heey, buddy! It's me!"

"Hey, Aeris! What's up?"

"Nothing much. I just wanted to say 'hi' and see how everything's going for you at the college."

"Fine."

"Hey, Leah!"

"What's happening, girl!"

"Hey, Tifa! Hey, Barrett! I didn't know you guys were on the other line."

"Why wouldn't we be? We're family, after all," Barrett said as Leah smiled hearing this.

"So, how are things going?" Tifa asked Leah.

"Good. I'm going to the Student Council room right now. They want to talk to me about something," Leah said who was once again walking to the Council Room.

"Talk to you about what?' Barrett asked her.

"I don't know. Natsuki told me to go there and find out."

"Natsuki? Who's she?"

"I'll tell you later. I'm at the Student Council Room right now."

"Oh, okay."

"I guess you'll call us later, huh?" Aeris said.

"Yeah. I'll talk to you guys later," Leah said, "Oh, and tell Baku and the rest of Tantalus I said 'Hey'."

"Okay. Later, Wolfie," Barrett said hanging the phone on his end.

"Yeah, I gotta go, too. Love you," Tifa said.

"You, too," Leah said.

"Yeah. I'll call you later since you're busy right now," Aeris said.

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye," Aeris and Tifa both said as Aeris hung up the phone on her end.

Leah hung up her phone and walked into the Student Council room. She opened the door and saw the same four people four weeks ago in the room. Three out of four of them had calming concerned looks while one of them had an angry one.

"Well, hello again, Ms. Roberts," Shizuru politely smiled.

"Hi, Shizuru, Reito, Yukino, and Haruka," Leah said to everyone in the room. She sat down in one of the empty desk like before, but a bit closer to the four college executives.

"Ara, ara. What happened to your eye?"

"Oh. It's just a cut that's all. It happened when I was in Fighting practice."

"Fighting practice, huh?" Reito said, "It looks more severe than what you're telling us."

"Well, yeah. I mean, it was kind of a mixture between an accident and a fight that was happening," Leah told him.

"I knew it! So you _did _start the fight!" Haruka said pointing at Leah square on the forehead with her index finger.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Don't play drumb with me!"

"It's 'dumb,' Haruka-chan," Yukino corrected her blonde friend.

"That's what I said, Yukino!"

"Now, now, Haruka. Calm down," Reito said, "What Haruka is trying to say that the reason you're here is because of the fight that occurred yesterday."

"Oh, well, that makes sense," Leah replied hearing Shizuru chuckle at that as Reito smiled at the statement.

"Now, would you care to explain what happened yesterday."

'Since you asked so nicely,' Leah thought inwardly before saying to the black-haired man, "Yes."

(Flashback)

Leah was sitting in a chair waiting for her turn to be up. She wore a Japanese suit of armor while she had her Katana sword in her hands.

"Alright, Leah, you're up against, uh, Takeda," Tate called as Leah stood up and walked in the center of the fighting ring.

"Behold! Witness me defeating this newbie to the fighting group!" Takeda told his friends who cheered at him for victory.

"I'm right here, you know," Leah informed the boy who only snorted.

"Yeah, right. Like a girl who's been home-schooled half of her life will even win against me."

(An hour later)

"And the winner by three points: Leah Roberts!" Tate proclaimed raising Leah's hand as she heard the crowd of boys cheer at how well the dark-haired girl fought.

"This can't happen! I wanna rematch!" Takeda demanded.

"What? No way," Leah told him.

"You cheated! That's the only reason how you could've won!"

"No. I won like any other person in this room. With blood sweat, and tears. Well, minus the tears," Leah replied walking off the ring with her sword dangling on the right side of her shoulder. About to walk off, she heard someone charging her way. She pulled out her sword again facing Takeda who had an angry look on his face. "Dude, what's wrong with you?"

"I said I want a rematch! You didn't really win against me!" Takeda said slashing blades against Leah's who quickly backed away from the upcoming attack.

"Hey! Takeda! That's enough! Don't do that to our new member of the sword team," Tate said seeing that Takeda wasn't listening as the boy with spiky dark green hair and Leah continued to crash blades towards each other. Quickly running and dodging each others upcoming attacks like they were doing in practice.

(End Flashback)

"I see. Then, what happened?" Reito asked Leah.

"When I was running backwards away from Takeda, I felt something trip me up. I didn't know what it was but it made me look back to see if anyone was behind me. When I did, I looked up and saw Takeda heading towards me. Before I could block his attack, it was too late for me to use my sword to defend myself. The next thing I knew, I saw Takeda upper cut me with his sword and I felt an excruciating pain hit my eye along with blood coming out of it," Leah explained, lightly rubbing her left bandaged eye, "And how I got this bandage over my eye."

"Uh-huh."

Then Shizuru stood up from her front desk and walked up to Leah. The one-eyed teen looked up into the honey-haired woman's red eyes as they were both staring into each others eyes. It seemed like an eternity as she saw Shizuru say to her, "Leah." Making the dark-haired teen come out of the trance of Shizuru's ruby wine eyes.

"Uh, yes, Shizuru?" Leah asked.

"I know this is unexpected, but would you mind taking that bandage off your eye?"

"Okay. But why?"

"Haruka thinks that the bandage you have on doesn't have a wound underneath it," Shizuru genuinely explained with a smile on her face.

"Well....okay, but it might be a bit gross when I take it off," Leah warned who could tell that Shizuru didn't care either way, "Okay." Then Leah slowly pulled off her bandage revealing a still fresh scar that ran down her eye. It looked like it was still quite swollen enabling Leah to open her eye as the four Student Councilors also saw that their was a bit clear pus coming out of the long gash on her eye. Haruka and Yukino were the most disgusted. Reito was, too but he didn't want to show it while Shizuru had a satisfied look on her face.

Then Shizuru said, "Suzushiro-san?"

"Wh-What do you want, Bubuzuke?"

"Does this severe gash have enough proof for Leah-san to be telling the truth?" Shizuru said in her Kyoto accent.

"Well, yeah. I guess. But how can you be so sure she's gelling the truth?"

"It's 'telling,' Haruka-chan," Yukino corrected as Haruka's eyebrow twitched from her mispronunciation.

Shizuru only stuck her index finger out and waved it sideways saying, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. I thought someone like you could see something like this."

"Huh?" Haruka raised an eyebrow at that.

"Innocence."

Haruka blinked in confusion wondering what her tea drinking President friend meant.

"Her eyes. I can tell she's telling us the truth," Shizuru said still smiling lightly placing her hand on Leah's head, "Reito, I believe you ought to be punishing Takeda for doing something like this to Leah-san."

"Yes, yes. I'm on it," Reito said leaving the student council room.

"And I believe Haruka has something to say," Shizuru said.

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry about what I said earlier," Haruka said in a soft tone to Leah who was a little surprised to hear that from her.

"It's okay. I don't blame you. The Student Council _does _have a hard time keeping everyone in order," Leah said putting the bandage back on her left eye.

"It takes guts to do what you did against Takeda without running off. And that's what you have: Pure, Genuine Guts. And I respect that!" Haruka said slapping Leah hard on the back.

"Thanks," The dark-eyed teen groaned still feeling the shock waves of the slap surging through her back.

After clearing a few things up, along with Haruka forcing Takeda to apologize to Leah, her and Shziuru were walking the hallway of the dorms.

"Sorry again for waking you up so early. Takeda said that you were the one who injured and insulted him," Shizuru said.

"It's okay. The only thing I don't get is how you could tell I was telling the truth," Leah wondered.

Shizuru gently smiled. "Your eyes."

Leah blinked. "Huh? What are you talking about, Shizuru?"

"That's what your eyes show. Innocence and naïveness and that's how I can tell. You're eyes are very easy to read if someone looks into them," Shizuru said, "That along with the heart of a child."

Leah lightly grumbled as Shizuru giggled at that. Then Leah yawned in tiredness. "Whatever. I just want to go back to sleep. It's Saturday, after all."

"True. Which is why I'm walking you to your dorm room."

"I'm not a little kid, you know." Leah lightly huffed as she saw her dorm room number. "Well, here's my room. I guess I'll see you around, huh?"

"Yeah. I'll see you later. Oh, and tell Natsuki I said 'hi' when you see her, okay?"

"Okay. Later." Leah unlocked her door and closed it behind her. "Man, I'm tired." Flopping front on her bed immediately falling asleep.

As she slept, Nao then woke up an hour or so later. Getting dressed in her casual Saturday clothes, the red-head turned around to make sure Leah was still asleep. She was as Nao picked up her keys and walked out of the dorm room.


	10. Tomoe and her Otome gang

As Leah was getting her stuff out of her locker, she felt someone pushed her stuff down on the floor.

"Hey!" She proclaimed seeing that it was a group of girls and boys (I don't feel like giving them names, okay?). They all look tough, like they were from different gangs, "Uh.. hi?"

"You da new college student?" One of the gang members asked in a tough deep voice.

"Yeah, I transferred here a month ago," Leah told the guy picking up her books, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be going to lunch." However, the others stopped her by one buy grabbing her by the nec of her collar, "Oi! Let go!"

"Word on the street is that you're from a gang of bandits called Tantalass."

"It's called Tantalus."

"Whatever!"

"What's a grade A bandit like doing in a fancy school like this?" A girl from the group asked Leah.

"I have my reasons. Now, put me down," Leah demanded.

"Oh, I'll put you down," The guy with the deep voice threw Leah against the lockers and leaving her to the ground as they laughed at her.

Then, she stood up and put her stuff down. "Hey!" The woman yelled at the gang who turned around when they were about to walk away. "You wanna know why Tantalus is the grade A group of thieves?"

"Oh? Why?" Another guy with a deep voice asked as Leah ran towards him and tackled him square to the ground.

"'Cause when you mess with the gang, you get your ass kicked!" Then Leah began to punch the guy in the face.

"Hey, let go of our buddy!" A girl with teal hair said grabbing Leah by her arms who angrily bit the girl by her left arm. Making her yell in pain before elbowing Leah in the face.

* * *

At lunch, Mai and Mikoto were eating by themselves. Mai then saw Natsuki running through the halls yelling, "Fight! Fight! The new girl is fighting with the Otome gang!"

Most of the people ran to see the fight along with Mai and Mikoto as Mikoto grabbed her sword getting ready to fight.

"She's been here for over a month and she's always getting into fights," Mai sighed.

"She needs help, Mai," Mikoto strictly told her.

"Yeah, I think you might be right, Mikoto. We gotta hurry."

* * *

In the hallways, Mai and Mikoto saw a huge crowd of students in Mai and Mikoto were able to get through the crowd and saw Leah fighting against the girl with teal hair, another girl with red hair that's in four pigtails, and another girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. They saw Leah was winning when Natsuki explained to Mai and Mikoto that Leah knocked out three of the guy members of the Otomes. As they continued to watch the fight, their was only the girl with tealed-hair left.

"You think you're so tough 'cause you knocked out all of my gang members. Well, you're wrong, newbie!" The girl with light aqua hair said, "You're messing with Tomoe Marguerite! Leader of the Otomes!"

Leah didn't reply to that but spat out blood from her mouth who felt blood continue to run down from her head and nose before saying, "I don't care who you are." As Tomoe felt Leah punch her square in the face, then kicked her in the ribs, causing Tomoe to fall on her front after spitting out blood unconscious.

Everyone was surprised and shocked at what happened as Leah sat on the ground with a tired look on her face.

"Well, tat was a waist of time," Leah muttered looking down at the Ko-ed girl name Tomoe, "I'm going to get something to eat."

The crowd of people cleared a path for the teen who was about to go to the cafeteria until the crowd saw Tomoe slowly stand up. However, unbeknownst to Leah, Tomoe snuck up behind the dark-eyed woman with a switch knife in her hand who was about to stab Leah with it until she grabbed it by the blade, stopping Tomoe from doing anything else with it.

Unfortunately, the blade of the knife went through the center of Leah's hand.

Blood came out from the severe flesh wound and began hitting the floor as Leah grabbed the switchblade away from Tomoe and looked at the detail. The switchblade was covered in Leah's blood, but it looked a bit old and dime with no shine towards it. The holster of it was dark blue and black as it looked like the switchblade hasn't been used or treated correctly more than a year or two.

"You call this a knife?" Leah said lightly laughing, and pulling the blade out of her hand with a few grunts and murmurs of saying 'ow', "It looks like you haven't polished this switchblade in years. I have a dagger better and sharper than this thing."

Tomoe was now steamed at how the girl was ridiculing her in front of a crowd. She was about to say something when she and Leah saw Shizuru walking their way with a calm looking smile on her face.

"Ara, ara. What's with all the commotion?"

"Hey. You're the tea drinking woman with red eyes," Leah said dropping Tomoe's switchblade. She also saw Tomoe stare at Shizuru with a timid look on her now blushing face.

"G-Good Afternoon, Shizuru Kaichou (President)," She shyly said.

"Good Afternoon, Tomoe-san," Shizuru said looking at what occurred before she came down the hall, "What, pray tell, happened here?"

"Oh. Uh, well, you see..."

"Tomoe's gang decided to jump me," Leah interrupted Tomoe.

"Ara, that sound dreadful. Is this true, Natsuki?" Shizuru asked the brunette.

"Huh? Oh, uh, y-yeah. Tomoe and her gang decided to fight with Leah over here," Natsuki told her with a blushing face.

"Hmm. I see." Shizuru looked again at her surroundings who then closed her eyes and heard the faint sound of something dripping as she opened them and saw blood still dripping out of Leah's hand. "Leah-kun, you're bleeding."

"Oh. Yeah. Don't worry about it, though. It'll heal," Leah said.

"That wound?" Shizuru examines the hand would for a quick minute before calling, "Natsuki." Making the emerald-eyed girl and her friends Mai and Mikoto walk to where the honey-haired girl was standing. "I want you to go with Leah-kun to the nurses office."

"Okay," Natsuki said as the four girls left the fighting area and walked to the nurses office.

Again.

0 – 0 – 0

There, Youko looked at Leah's hand.

"Well, this sucks," Leah told the three girls and the nurse who still didn't let her go to lunch.

"Sorry, kid, but I can't leave you with that kind of injury," Youko said as Leah sighed in understandment.

"Well, it's your own fault for getting into a fight like that," Mai said.

"Whatever. You're not my mom. I can do whatever I want," Leah huffed seeing Youko bandaging it up as best as she could after cleaning her would with rubbing alcohol.

"There. It might take a while for it to heal, and lucky for you, the knife didn't hit any vital veins or nerves, so you'll be fine," Youko said.

"Thanks again. Now, I can eat."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine. Now, please, let me go so I can eat," Leah frustratingly replied walking out of the nurses office and going to lunch.

0-0-0

Later that same day at the dorms, Leah was still up looking at the moon while polishing her dagger. She felt her right hand not feeling so sore or in pain as she looked at the wound slowly healing.

"As usual," She muttered when she removed the bandages from her severe gash, "I wonder if Nao got enough money tonight? It's getting pretty late." Then she heard the door open to see Nao walk in the room. Leah could tell that the red head was in a good mood which meant that she scored big money. "Hey, Nao."

"Oh, hey, kid. You're still alive," Nao replied with a smirk.

"Very funny," Leah remarked as Nao laid on her bed after stripping down to her bra and underwear.

"I heard you got into a fight with the Otomes."

"Yeah. Tomoe stabbed my hand, but it's getting better," Leah said.

"Whatever you say, kid. I'm just happy that I scored some rich pig into a huge amount of money."

"How much?"

"Around 30 to 50 thousand dollars."

"Nice." Leah laughs while looking at the moon.

"Geez, Kid, you're a walking troublemaking thrill-seeker, you know that?"

"So I've heard from Cloud and the others. And will you stop calling me Kid?"

Nao lightly smiled at that in the dark. "Hmm, nope. I think it suits you."

"Eh, whatever. I'm going to sleep."

"Alright. Night."

"Goodnight, Kid."


	11. Missing Brown Eyes

That same night, Leah woke up from the sound of Nao talking/whispering to someone on her cellphone. Leah slowly opened her eyes, not moving her body to see what Nao was doing who saw the dark red-head put her clothes on and sneaked out of the window. Nao landed safely on the ground who made sure the coast was clear before running into town.

* * *

In Fuuka, Nao was making sure she wasn't followed by anyone, including her roommate. Not that Nao minded Leah's company or anything, but sometimes, Nao just wants to be alone and the young adult understood that as Nao made it to her destination. Waiting, Nao saw a guy waiting for her in the darkness of the alley.

"'bout time you got here," The man said to Nao.

"Sorry. Had a few things to deal with at my place."

"Were you followed?"

"No. I checked and made sure I wasn't followed at all."

"Good. Now.." Then, the guy pulled out a gun. "Give me the money you stole from me."

Nao was shocked when the man pulled the pistol out. She didn't even know who this man s until he walked out of the shadows of the alleyway, revealing a middle aged fat man wearing rich clothing that Nao recognized. "Oh.. shit."

"'Oh shit' is right. You think just because I'm rich gives you the right to steal from me? Well, you're wrong! So, I want it back, you whore!"

"I don't have it. I had to use the money to pay someone off," Nao said raising her hand above her head.

Then the guy cocked back his gun and pointed it back at the frightened college red-head. "Well then, it seems I'm gonna have to kill you right here for stealing my precious money."

"W-Wait. Can't we talk this over?"

"A thief like you shouldn't even have the right to talk or explain anything. Now, die."

Nao closed her eyes and waited for the bullet to penetrate as a shot was fired, but felt nothing tearing from her body. She then heard grunting and sounds of struggling from Nao's closed eyes who slowly opened them to see the rich man holding his now blood-covered hand in pain from someone shooting it. Nao was relieved, but wondered who it was who shot the snob in front of her.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" He yelled who then felt something go through his other hand when he was shooting all over in the empty alley before the gun fell out of his hand.

Nao asked herself who it was helping her out since no one at the college knows she snuck out of the dorms. She thought she was safe until she saw the rich man slowly pulling out what looked like a pocket knife. The blade was shinning with the moon's help as Nao saw blood covering the bottom half of the blade before seeing the fat enraged man throw it at her. It was about an inch towards her face when another blade like object hit it, missing Nao's face and hitting the ground somewhere, along with the other blade that hit it. Unfortunately, the rich man saw where the blade came from and was able to throw another knife that was hidden in his shirt at the top of the roof of the alley. Nao could hear someone hissing in pain who then saw two to four more of, what it visibly looks like kunai, hitting the fat middle aged man in his upper legs and arms that made him fall to the ground unconscious.

It took a while for Nao to figure out what just happened before her eyes who then heard the sounds of police cars heading her way. Nao pulled whatever money the now knocked out man had in his pockets before running out of the alley, not turning back.

* * *

Nao made it back to the dorms completely unharmed and out of breath from running out of the town of Fuuka without the cops seeing her. She's thinking of stopping her pervert hunting until it's safe to do so again; especially with that fat snob who almost killed her, but Nao wasn't concerned about that who was climbing back in her and Leah's dorm room window. She was just happy to, from what the warriors say in action movies, "Live to fight another day." or in Nao's case, "Live to Sleep another day' but that's besides the point. Nao was just happy she's alive who then saw Leah slowly get up and walk out of the dorm room. Nao was about to ask the female bandit where she was going but didn't bother. The red-head was still a bit shaken from what happened and just went to sleep.

* * *

The following morning, Nao told her cousin Natsuki about what happened last night.

"I told you that fat bastard was going come after you inf you kept stealing from him every time you saw him," Natsuki told the fiery red head while putting mayo on her sandwich.

"Whatever. I'm just happy to be alive right now after what happened... And speaking of that, where's the Kid?"

"I dunno. Haven't seen her all day actually. She probably got into another fight with Takeda or something."

"Probably. Or maybe she's just sleeping in late from playing race car games all night," Nao replied as Natsuki shrugged at that.

"I guess. So, what are you gonna do now until the cops leave Fuuka?"

"Don't know. Probably sleep in or ditch my classes to just hang out with you and the Kid when I don't feel like listening to the teacher on days when I'm pissed off."

Natsuki laughed at that whose hands were behind her head with a smug looking smile on her face. "Yeah, since you can't sit still very long when you're annoyed."

"Ha-ha, very funny."

Natsuki smiled brightly smiled with her teeth showing at what her red-headed cousin's sarcasm as the bell rang for them to go to their next class. "Well, I gotta get going. This time, I don't wanna miss this class session."

"Why? Sucking up to the teacher to get extra credit?" Nao taunted in a baby-like voice.

"No! We're learning how to load a machine gun and fire it at an enemy from afar. That's the only gun I don't know how to hold and use and I need to learn how!" Natsuki said in an excited tone.

"That sounds awesome compare to my boring lecture class I'm going to. Let's just hope the lesson goes by quick. Later."

"yeah, okay. Later."

* * *

Nao thought Leah would come back to the dorm room since the fiery red-head didn't see the little thief all day; however, she didn't see the little thief the following day let alone the entire week for that matter. Mai and the others found out about Leah's sudden disappearance from Natsuki and became concerned. So, after their classes were over for the day, Mai and the others went to see where Leah was. Nao went to Leah's teachers and asked if Leah turned in her work who did and then left as soon as class was over for the day.

The dark red-head went to the others and told them what Leah's teachers said as Natsuki said exactly what Nao was thinking, "Okay, that doesn't make any sense."

"Yeah, if Leah's been attending her classes and turning in her homework and other things, then where could she be in this college?" Mai said in a worried tone.

"Maybe she's fighting some monsters," Mikoto suggested pulling on Mai's sleeve.

"..Maybe."

"Nah. I don't think so. If she was, then Haruka and the Executive Committee would rush to where the fight is and stop it before it got worse," Chie replied as Natsuki agreed, along with Nao knowing first hand from the former fights the two were in.

"Man, this is a mystery," Aoi said with her arms folded across her chest.

"Hmm. Maybe we can talk to your girlfriend about where Leah is," Chie said to the bluenette rebel.

"Why Shizuru?" Natsuki wondered.

"She's the President of the Fuuka College. She has to know something!"

"Four-eye's got a point, Mutt. Fujino's everywhere when she wants to be," Nao replied as Chie's eye twitched from the red-head calling her four-eyes, "So, maybe Leah's hanging out with her or something."

"I-I guess so," Natsuki said since her girlfriend Shizuru is like a ninja when she wants to be.

"Well, what are we standing around here like a bunch of chumps? Let's go!" Mai said running ahead of the group.

"Mai, wait up!" Mikoto said running to catch up with Mai.

"This'll be the scoop of the century!" Chie cheered running behind Mikoto.

"Chie, wait for me!" Aoi called running after the woman with glasses down the hall, leaving Nao and Natsuki behind in the dust.

All the two did was look at each other, blink at what just occurred, then followed their friends by taking their time down the empty halls of the campus.

"You think Leah's hanging out with your girlfriend?" Nao asked her older cousin.

"Dunno. Probably. The kid's always wandering around this place when she's board," Natsuki casually answered with her hands behind her head.

* * *

In the Council Room of the University, Shizuru was drinking tea in a calm manner as a few people around her were putting things away in a quick manner. Them, along with a few of Shizuru's fans who offered to help her put a few papers and boxes away for the Kyoto-ben.

"Where do you want this, Shizuru-san?"

"You can throw that out. I don't need it anymore," Shizuru said.

"Got it!"

"Ma'am, where do you want these stacks of papers? They've been in the drawer for about two years."

"Hmm.. leave it. I'll sort through it later," Shizuru told one of her fan girls.

"Alright! Anything for you!"

During the chaos, Shizur saw Mai and the others walk in, avoiding the running students and fans.

"Ara, ara! It's Natsuki and her friends. What may I help you with today?"

"Hey, Shizuru. Have you seen Leah around here? She's been missing for about a week and we don't know where she is," Natsuki asked the President who put her index finger underneath her chin lightly tapping it in thought.

"Hmmmm... Oh! That's right. I did see her three hours ago. She was in here and said she needed help with something that involved different kanji's and how to tell them apart."

"Was she acting weird in any way?" Chie asked.

"Hmm.. Maybe a little bit, but not much," Shizuru replied.

"Weird how because to us, the Kid does and says weird things more than Mikoto does on a good day," Nao said pointing to the spiky black-haired girl who was confused.

"Ara, you do made a valid point about that, but Leah-kun wasn't acing weird in her usual funny and random way like she is on good days like you were implying. No, she was acting weird like the odd kind of weird where Leah-kun looked like she was tired from lack of sleep, along with hugging more than she normally hugs. She was also limping a bit from what she told me was from another fight from Takeda which I believe was a lie."

"Yeah since Haruka didn't report any fight occurring today or anything," Natsuki said as Shizuru nodded at that.

"But why was Leah limping, though? Understandable about the hugging part, but it doesn't make any sense," Mai told her opinion.

"I asked her why she was limping, but she dind't feel like talking about it at all which was a bit new to me," Shizuru said.

"Do you know where Leah is now?" Nao wondered feeling a bit concerned for her young bandit roommate.

"When she needed no more assistance, Leah-kun said she was going to her favorite spot in Fuuka University."

"Her favorite spot?"

That could be anywhere in this freaking campus!" Natsuki said annoyed.

"Who cares? This'll be great on the front paper!" Chie said texting what was being said on her cellphone.

"I guess we'll have to split up and find Leah. We'll cover more ground that way if we do," Mai said.

"Good idea, Mai!" Mikoto gleefully cheered.

"Me and Mikoto will look through this area of the college, Natsui and Nao, you guys check above, along with the activity rooms Leah goes from time to time, and Chie and Aoi, you guys check the cafeteria and the courtyard."

"Oh, and Shizuru, if you see Leah walk by the Council room could you let us know?" Natsuki asked her girlfriend.

"Ara, ara. Since Natsuki asked me so nicely, I will," Shizuru smiled at the bluenette who blushed at that.

"Tha-Thanks."

"Alright, everyone. Let's move out!" Chie said as the females took their ways around the college.


End file.
